Stars seek different look with Oleksiak, Roussel

The Dallas Stars made some roster moves Wednesday and GM Joe Nieuwendyk said the goal is to give the team a different look.

The Stars called up two players from the Texas Stars, adding size with defenseman Jamie Oleksiak and some sandpaper with forward Antoine Roussel. To make room on the roster for those two, forward Reilly Smith was sent back to Texas.

“I think it’s a good time to take a look at both kids,” Nieuwendyk said. “It gives us a little bit of a different look. We’re still searching for our identity.”

Oleksiak, the Stars’ first round pick (14th overall) in 2011, is one of the team’s top prospects, perhaps the top prospect. The 6-7, 254-pound Oleksiak has been outstanding in his first professional season, leading Texas Stars defensemen in scoring with 23 points (3 goals, 20 assists) and a plus-12 rating in 43 games. He’s tied for third among rookie AHL defensemen in scoring. He was voted in by fans as a starter for this past Monday’s AHL All-Star Game in Providence, Rhode Island.